1. Field of the Invention.
This invention relates to covers and bags for vacuum cleaner hoses and more particularly to a replaceable vacuum cleaner hose cover and bag formed from a tube of circularly knitted material including a synthetic yarn such as polyester or nylon in combination with one or more carbon strands.
2. Description of the Prior Art.
Numerous covers for vacuum cleaner hoses have been available over a long period of time to protect the basic hose and enhance its appearance. These covers have all been formed of woven material which is flat, cut to a specific size, and then seamed to form a tubular hose cover of a given diameter. The cover thus has a continuous seam extending throughout its longitudinal dimension. Vacuum cleaner bags have been formed in various shapes usually from woven or belt material.
The use of vacuum cleaners for cleaning within an ordinary household because of the apparatus itself and the contents of the household which includes other electrical apparatus such as television sets, kitchen appliances, furnaces and the like often cause a static build-up that periodically discharges, and startles and often shocks the user. In situations where air streams are involved to separate substances and create friction, electrostatic charges frequently occur or appear on the vacuum cleaner or on components of associated equipment being used. Under those circumstances, the electrostatic charge level can be such as to cause explosions which are capable of doing severe damage to the apparatus involved and, in certain circumstances, seriously injuring or even killing people employed in utilizing these appliances.
Electrostatic charges accumulate on the vacuum cleaner hoses, bags and other related accessories, and the dangers associated therewith are significant, particularly when dealing with central vacuum systems that enable the use of a central vacuum cleaner bag with a multiple array of vacuum cleaner hoses.
A previously unaddressed problem associated with vacuum cleaning is the presence of algae and dust mites, particularly prevalent in the household environment. These substances have life and grow and are very detrimental to the operation of a conventional vacuum system. They have a tendency to clog the filtering action of the vacuum cleaner bag, thereby resulting in ineffective cleaning and, more importantly, failure to remove those substances from the environment. No highly efficient effective means has, to date, been developed to eliminate or significantly reduce these problems.
While vacuum cleaner hose covers have been used over a considerable period of time for primarily tear resistant and aesthetic purposes, there is an even greater need to have a device of this nature that will prevent the damaging affect of electrostatic discharges that occur from high electrostatic charge build-up during vacuum cleaner use. The need is equally present with vacuum cleaner bags. It is to these needs that the present improvement is directed.